Disruption of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa dipZ gene, encoding a putative protein-disulfide reductase, leads to partial pleiotropic deficiency in c-type cytochrome biogenesis

Structure of the ectodomain of the electron transporter Rv2874 fromMycobacterium tuberculosisreveals a thioredoxin-like domain combined with a carbohydrate-binding module

The members of the CcdA family are integral membrane proteins that use a disulfide cascade to transport electrons from the thioredoxin–thioredoxin reductase system in the interior of the cell into the extracytoplasmic space. The core transmembrane portion of this family is often elaborated with additional hydrophilic domains that act as adapters to deliver reducing potential to targets outside the cellular membrane. To investigate the function of family members inMycobacterium tuberculosis, the structure of the C-terminal ectodomain from Rv2874, one of three CcdA-family members present in the genome, was determined. The crystal structure, which was refined at 1.9 Å resolution withR= 0.195 andRfree= 0.219, reveals the predicted thioredoxin-like domain with its conserved Cys-X-X-Cys active-site motif. Unexpectedly, this domain is combined with a second domain with a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) fold, this being the first reported example of a CBM in association with a thioredoxin-like domain fold. A cavity in the CBM adjacent to the thioredoxin active site suggests a likely carbohydrate-binding site, representing a broadening of the substrate range for CcdA-family members and an expansion of the thioredoxin-domain functionality to carbohydrate modification.

Operation of trans-thylakoid thiol-metabolizing pathways in photosynthesis

Thiol oxidation to disulfides and the reverse reaction, i.e., disulfide reduction to free thiols, are under the control of catalysts in vivo. Enzymatically assisted thiol-disulfide chemistry is required for the biogenesis of all energy-transducing membrane systems. However, until recently, this had only been demonstrated for the bacterial plasma membrane. Long considered to be vacant, the thylakoid lumen has now moved to the forefront of photosynthesis research with the realization that its proteome is far more complicated than initially anticipated. Several lumenal proteins are known to be disulfide bonded in Arabidopsis, highlighting the importance of sulfhydryl oxidation in the thylakoid lumen. While disulfide reduction in the plastid stroma is known to activate several enzymatic activities, it appears that it is the reverse reaction, i.e., thiol oxidation that is required for the activity of several lumen-resident proteins. This paradigm for redox regulation in the thylakoid lumen has opened a new frontier for research in the field of photosynthesis. Of particular significance in this context is the discovery of trans-thylakoid redox pathways controlling disulfide bond formation and reduction, which are required for photosynthesis.

The interplay between the disulfide bond formation pathway and cytochrome c maturation in Escherichia coli

Heme attachment to c-type cytochromes in bacteria requires cysteine thiols in the CXXCH motif of the protein. The involvement of the periplasmic disulfide generation system in this process remains unclear. We undertake a systematic evaluation of the role of DsbA and DsbD in cytochrome c biogenesis in Escherichia coli and show unequivocally that DsbA is not essential for holocytochrome production under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. We also prove that DsbD is important but not essential for maturation of c-type cytochromes. We discuss the findings in the context of a model in which heme attachment to, and oxidation of, the apocytochrome are competing processes.

Characterization of S-thiolation on secreted proteins from E. coli by mass spectrometry

S-thiolation is a reversible post-translational modification in which thiol metabolites of low molecular masses are linked to protein sulfhydryl groups through disulfide bonds. This modification is commonly observed in recombinant proteins secreted from E. coli cells. Since it can alter protein functions and introduce molecular heterogeneity, S-thiolation is undesirable for recombinant protein production. To date, few published studies have characterized thiol modifiers or investigated the mechanism of S-thiolation in recombinant proteins. In this work, reversed-phase liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry were used to characterize four of the most abundant thiol modifiers on recombinant proteins secreted from E. coli BL21 (DE3) strain. These thiol modifiers have been identified as glutathione, 4-phosphopantetheine, gluconoylated glutathione, and dephosphorylated coenzyme A. S-thiolation by these thiol modifiers increases protein mass by 305, 356, 483, and 685 Da, respectively. These specific mass increases can be used as markers for identifying S-thiolation in recombinant proteins.

Active-site Properties of the Oxidized and Reduced C-terminal Domain of DsbD Obtained by NMR Spectroscopy

The periplasmic C-terminal domain of the Escherichia coli DsbD protein (cDsbD) has a thioredoxin fold. The two cysteine residues in the CXXC motif serve as the reductant for the disulfide bond of the N-terminal domain which can in turn act as a reductant for various periplasmic partners. The resulting disulfide bond in cDsbD is reduced via an unknown mechanism by the transmembrane helical domain of the protein. We show by NMR analysis of (13)C, (15)N-labelled cDsbD that the protein is rigid, is stable to extremes of pH and undergoes only localized conformational changes in the vicinity of the CXXC motif, and in adjacent regions of secondary structure, upon undergoing the reduced/oxidized transition. pK(a) values have been determined, using 2D NMR, for the N-terminal cysteine of the CXXC motif, Cys461, as well as for other active-site residues. It is demonstrated using site-directed mutagenesis that the negative charges of the side-chains of Asp455 and Glu468 in the active site contribute to the unusually high pK(a) value, 10.5, of Cys461. This value is higher than expected from knowledge of the reduction potential of cDsbD. In a double mutant of cDsbD, D455N/E468Q, the pK(a) value of Cys461 is lowered to 8.6, a value close to that expected for an unperturbed cysteine residue. The pK(a) value of the second cysteine in wild-type cDsbD, Cys464, is significantly higher than the maximum pH value that was studied (pH 12.2).

Cytochrome c maturation and the physiological role of c-type cytochromes in Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae lives in different habitats, varying from aquatic ecosystems to the human intestinal tract. The organism has acquired a set of electron transport pathways for aerobic and anaerobic respiration that enable adaptation to the various environmental conditions. We have inactivated the V. cholerae ccmE gene, which is required for cytochrome c biogenesis. The resulting strain is deficient of all c-type cytochromes and allows us to characterize the physiological role of these proteins. Under aerobic conditions in rich medium, V. cholerae produces at least six c-type cytochromes, none of which is required for growth. Wild-type V. cholerae produces active fumarate reductase, trimethylamine N-oxide reductase, cbb3 oxidase, and nitrate reductase, of which only the fumarate reductase does not require maturation of c-type cytochromes. The reduction of nitrate in the medium resulted in the accumulation of nitrite, which is toxic for the cells. This suggests that V. cholerae is able to scavenge nitrate from the environment only in the presence of other nitrite-reducing organisms. The phenotypes of cytochrome c-deficient V. cholerae were used in a transposon mutagenesis screening to search for additional genes required for cytochrome c maturation. Over 55,000 mutants were analyzed for nitrate reductase and cbb3 oxidase activity. No transposon insertions other than those within the ccm genes for cytochrome c maturation and the dsbD gene, which encodes a disulphide bond reductase, were found. In addition, the role of a novel CcdA-like protein in cbb3 oxidase assembly is discussed.

Active lactonizing lipase (LipL) efficiently overproduced by Pseudomonas strains as heterologous expression hosts

Pseudomonas sp. strain 109 secretes lactonizing lipase (LipL), which catalyzes efficient intramolecular transesterification of omega-hydroxyfatty acid esters to form macrocyclic lactones. Because Escherichia coli was found to be unsuitable as an expression host due to the predominant formation of inactive LipL-inclusion bodies and a lack of proper secretion machinery which is also required for the formation of active LipL, Pseudomonas strains were surveyed as expression hosts. Pseudomonas sp. strain 109, an original LipL producer, showed a 7.1-fold higher level of active LipL when the lipL gene under the control of tac-lacUV5 tandem promoter was introduced together with a limL gene encoding a LipL-specific chaperon. Pseudomonas aeruginosa ADD 1976 containing a T7 RNA polymerase gene in the chromosome and plasmid-borne lipL-limL genes under the control of T7 promoter showed a 13-fold higher level of active LipL. Several combinations in the number of lipL and/or limL genes on the plasmid were investigated, and (lipL)3-limL was found to be most efficient, yielding a 67-fold greater production of active LipL than that obtained by the wild-type Pseudomonas sp. strain 109.

Overproduction of CcmG and CcmFH(Rc) fully suppresses the c-type cytochrome biogenesis defect of Rhodobacter capsulatus CcmI-null mutants

Gram-negative bacteria like Rhodobacter capsulatus use intertwined pathways to carry out the posttranslational maturation of c-type cytochromes (Cyts). This periplasmic process requires at least 10 essential components for apo-Cyt c chaperoning, thio-oxidoreduction, and the delivery of heme and its covalent ligation. One of these components, CcmI (also called CycH), is thought to act as an apo-Cyt c chaperone. In R. capsulatus, CcmI-null mutants are unable to produce c-type Cyts and thus sustain photosynthetic (Ps) growth. Previously, we have shown that overproduction of the putative heme ligation components CcmF and CcmH(Rc) (also called Ccl1 and Ccl2) can partially bypass the function of CcmI on minimal, but not on enriched, media. Here, we demonstrate that either additional overproduction of CcmG (also called HelX) or hyperproduction of CcmF-CcmH(Rc) is needed to completely overcome the role of CcmI during the biogenesis of c-type Cyts on both minimal and enriched media. These findings indicate that, in the absence of CcmI, interactions between the heme ligation and thioreduction pathways become restricted for sufficient Cyt c production. We therefore suggest that CcmI, along with its apo-Cyt chaperoning function, is also critical for the efficacy of holo-Cyt c formation, possibly via its close interactions with other components performing the final heme ligation steps during Cyt c biogenesis.

Overproduction of CcmABCDEFGH restores cytochrome c maturation in a DsbD deletion strain of E. coli: another route for reductant?

The multidomain transmembrane protein DsbD is essential for cytochrome c maturation (Ccm) in Escherichia coli and transports reductant to the otherwise oxidising environment of the bacterial periplasm. The Ccm proteins ABCDEFGH are also essential and we show that the overproduction of these proteins can unexpectedly complement for the absence of DsbD in a deletion strain by partially restoring the production of an exogenous c-type cytochrome under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. This suggests that one or more of the Ccm proteins can provide reductant to the periplasm. The Ccm proteins do not, however, restore the normal disulfide mis-isomerisation phenotype of the deletion strain, as shown by assay of the multidisulfide-bonded enzyme urokinase.

Functional analysis of a divergent system II protein, Ccs1, involved in c-type cytochrome biogenesis

The Ccs1 gene, encoding a highly divergent novel component of a system II type c-type cytochrome biogenesis pathway, is encoded by the previously defined CCS1 locus in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. phoA and lacZalpha bacterial topological reporters were used to deduce a topological model of the Synechocystis sp. 6803 Ccs1 homologue, CcsB. CcsB, and therefore by analogy Ccs1, possesses a large soluble lumenal domain at its C terminus that is tethered in the thylakoid membrane by three closely spaced transmembrane domains in the N-terminal portion of the protein. Molecular analysis of ccs1 alleles reveals that the entire C-terminal soluble domain is essential for Ccs1 function and that a stromal loop appears to be important in vivo, at least for maintenance of Ccs1. Site-directed mutational analysis reveals that a single histidine (His(274)) within the last transmembrane domain, preceding the large lumenal domain, is required for c-type cytochrome assembly, whereas an invariant cysteine residue (Cys(199)) is shown to be non-essential. Ccs1 is proposed to interact with other Ccs components based on its reduced accumulation in ccs2, ccs3, ccs4, and ccsA strains.

Essential histidine and tryptophan residues in CcsA, a system II polytopic cytochrome c biogenesis protein

Three distinct systems (I, II, and III) for catalysis of heme attachment to c-type apocytochromes are known. The CcsA and Ccs1 proteins are required in system II for the assembly of bacterial and plastid cytochromes c. A tryptophan-rich signature motif (WWD), also occurring in CcmC and CcmF found in system I, and three histidinyl residues, all strictly conserved in CcsA suggest a function in heme handling. Topological analysis of plastid CcsA in bacteria using the PhoA and LacZalpha reporters placed the WWD motif, the conserved residues His(212) and His(347) on the lumen side of the membrane, whereas His(309) was assigned a location on the stromal side. Functional analysis of CcsA through site-directed mutagenesis enabled the designation of the initiation codon of the ccsA gene and established the functional importance of the WWD signature motif and the absolute requirement of all three histidines for the assembly of plastid c-type cytochromes. In a ccsA mutant, a 200-kDa Ccs1-containing complex is absent from solubilized thylakoid membranes, suggesting that CcsA operates together with Ccs1. We propose a model where the WWD motif and histidine residues function in relaying heme from stroma to lumen and we postulate the existence of a cytochrome c assembly machinery containing CcsA, Ccs1 and additional components.

Evolutionary domain fusion expanded the substrate specificity of the transmembrane electron transporter DsbD

Modular organization of proteins has been postulated as a widely used strategy for protein evolution. The multidomain transmembrane protein DsbD catalyzes the transfer of electrons from the cytoplasm to the periplasm of Escherichia coli. Most bacterial species do not have DsbD, but instead their genomes encode a much smaller protein, CcdA, which resembles the central hydrophobic domain of DsbD. We used reciprocal heterologous complementation assays between E.coli and Rhodobacter capsulatus to show that, despite their differences in size and structure, DsbD and CcdA are functional homologs. While DsbD transfers reducing potential to periplasmic protein disulfide bond isomerases and to the cytochrome c thioreduction pathway, CcdA appears to be involved only in cytochrome c biogenesis. Our findings strongly suggest that, by the acquisition of additional thiol-redox active domains, DsbD expanded its substrate specificity.

Characterization of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis region containing the mpt83 and mpt70 genes

Like the products of the genes mpt83 and mpt70, the putative protein encoded by the gene located between these genes was undetectable in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with an antiserum raised against the recombinant protein. The protein showed 100% homology with M. tuberculosis Rv2874 and similarities with CcdA and DipZ proteins involved in cytochrome-c biogenesis in bacteria. Expression analysis by RT-PCR and transcriptional fusions of Rv2874 and their neighbor genes Rv2871, Rv2872, mpt83 and mpt70 with lacZ suggest that these genes are part of an operon and their transcription is driven by promoter regions located 5' upstream of mpt83 and of Rv2874 genes.

Wheat mitochondria ccmB encodes the membrane domain of a putative ABC transporter involved in cytochrome c biogenesis

Assembly of cytochromes c is mediated by different proteins depending on the organism and organelle considered. In land plants, mitochondria follow a pathway distinct from that of yeast and animal mitochondria, more similar to that described for alpha- and gamma-proteobacteria. Indeed, in plant mitochondria, four genes were identified based on the similarities of their products with bacterial proteins involved in c-type cytochrome maturation. We report the characterisation of one of these mitochondrial genes in Triticum aestivum, TaccmB, which is proposed to encode a subunit of an ABC transporter. The transcript extremities were mapped and cDNA sequencing revealed 42 C to U editing positions in the 618 nucleotide long coding region. This high editing rate affects the identity of 32 amino acids out of 206. Antibodies directed against wheat CcmB recognise a 28 kDa protein in an enriched inner mitochondrial membrane protein fraction, a location which is in agreement with the high hydrophobicity of the protein and its function as a putative transmembrane domain of an ABC transporter involved in cytochrome c and c1 biogenesis in plant mitochondria.

In vivo-expressed genes of Pasteurella multocida

Pasteurella multocida is the causative agent of infectious diseases of economic importance such as fowl cholera, bovine hemorrhagic septicemia, and porcine atrophic rhinitis. However, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms and determinants that P. multocida requires for virulence and pathogenicity is still limited. To address this issue, we developed a genetic expression system, based on the in vivo expression technology approach first described by Mahan et al. (Science 259:686--688, 1993), to identify in vivo-expressed genes of P. multocida. Numerous genes, such as those encoding outer membrane lipoproteins, metabolic and biosynthetic enzymes, and a number of hypothetical proteins, were identified. These may prove to be useful targets for attenuating mutation and/or warrant further investigation for their roles in immunity and/or pathogenesis.

Identification of ccdA in Paracoccus pantotrophus GB17: disruption of ccdA causes complete deficiency in c-type cytochromes

A transposon Tn5-mob insertional mutant of Paracoccus pantotrophus GB17, strain TP43, was unable to oxidize thiosulfate aerobically or to reduce nitrite anaerobically, and the cellular yields were generally decreased by 11 to 20%. Strain TP43 was unable to form functional c-type cytochromes, as determined by difference spectroscopy and heme staining. However, formation of apocytochromes and their transport to the periplasm were not affected, as seen with SoxD, a c-type cytochrome associated with the periplasmic sulfite dehydrogenase homologue. The Tn5-mob-containing DNA region of strain TP43 was cloned into pSUP205 to produce pE18TP43. With the aid of pE18TP43 the corresponding wild-type gene region of 15 kb was isolated from a heterogenote recombinant to produce pEF15. Sequence analysis of 2.8 kb of the relevant region uncovered three open reading frames, designated ORFA, ccdA, and ORFB, with the latter being oriented divergently. ORFA and ccdA were constitutively cotranscribed as determined by primer extension analysis. In strain TP43 Tn5-mob was inserted into ccdA. The deduced ORFA product showed no similarity to any protein in databases. However, the ccdA gene product exhibited similarities to proteins assigned to different functions in bacteria, such as cytochrome c biogenesis. For these proteins at least six transmembrane helices are predicted with the potential to form a channel with two conserved cysteines. This structural identity suggests that these proteins transfer reducing equivalents from the cytoplasm to the periplasm and that the cysteines bring about this transfer to enable the various specific functions via specific redox mediators such as thioredoxins. CcdA of P. pantotrophus is 42% identical to a protein predicted by ORF2, and its location within the sox gene cluster coding for lithotrophic sulfur oxidation suggested a different function.

DsbA and DsbC affect extracellular enzyme formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

DsbA and DsbC proteins involved in the periplasmic formation of disulfide bonds in Pseudomonas aeruginosa were identified and shown to play an important role for the formation of extracellular enzymes. Mutants deficient in either dsbA or dsbC or both genes were constructed, and extracellular elastase, alkaline phosphatase, and lipase activities were determined. The dsbA mutant no longer produced these enzymes, whereas the lipase activity was doubled in the dsbC mutant. Also, extracellar lipase production was severely reduced in a P. aeruginosa dsbA mutant in which an inactive DsbA variant carrying the mutation C34S was expressed. Even when the lipase gene lipA was constitutively expressed in trans in a lipA dsbA double mutant, lipase activity in cell extracts and culture supernatants was still reduced to about 25%. Interestingly, the presence of dithiothreitol in the growth medium completely inhibited the formation of extracellular lipase whereas the addition of dithiothreitol to a cell-free culture supernatant did not affect lipase activity. We conclude that the correct formation of the disulfide bond catalyzed in vivo by DsbA is necessary to stabilize periplasmic lipase. Such a stabilization is the prerequisite for efficient secretion using the type II pathway.

Transmembrane electron transfer by the membrane protein DsbD occurs via a disulfide bond cascade

The cytoplasmic membrane protein DsbD transfers electrons from the cytoplasm to the periplasm of E. coli, where its reducing power is used to maintain cysteines in certain proteins in the reduced state. We split DsbD into three structural domains, each containing two essential cysteines. Remarkably, when coexpressed, these truncated proteins restore DsbD function. Utilizing this three piece system, we were able to determine a pathway of the electrons through DsbD. Our findings strongly suggest that the pathway is based on a series of multistep redox reactions that include direct interactions between thioredoxin and DsbD, and between DsbD and its periplasmic substrates. A thioredoxin-fold domain in DsbD appears to have the novel role of intramolecular electron shuttle.

Novel genes coding for lithotrophic sulfur oxidation of Paracoccus pantotrophus GB17

The gene region coding for lithotrophic sulfur oxidation of Paracoccus pantotrophus GB17 is located on a 13-kb insert of plasmid pEG12. Upstream of the previously described six open reading frames (ORFs) soxABCDEF with a partial sequence of soxA and soxF (C. Wodara, F. Bardischewsky, and C. G. Friedrich, J. Bacteriol. 179:5014-5023, 1997), 4,350 bp were sequenced. The sequence completed soxA, and uncovered six new ORFs upstream of soxA, designated ORF1, ORF2, and ORF3, and soxXYZ. ORF1 could encode a 275-amino-acid polypeptide of 29,332 Da with a 61 to 63% similarity to LysR transcriptional regulators. ORF2 could encode a 245-amino-acid polypeptide of 26,022 Da with the potential to form six transmembrane helices and with a 48 to 51% similarity to proteins involved in redox transport in cytochrome c biogenesis. ORF3 could encode a periplasmic polypeptide of 186 amino acids of 20,638 Da with a similarity to thioredoxin-like proteins and with a putative signal peptide of 21 amino acids. Purified SoxXA, SoxYZ, and SoxB are essential for thiosulfate or sulfite-dependent cytochrome c reduction in vitro. N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences identified SoxX, SoxY, SoxZ, and SoxA to be coded by the respective genes. The molecular masses of the mature proteins determined by electrospray ionization spectroscopy (SoxX, 14,834 Da; SoxY, 11,094 Da; SoxZ, 11,717 Da; and SoxA, 30,452 Da) were identical or close to those deduced from the nucleotide sequence with differences for the covalent heme moieties. SoxXA represents a novel type of periplasmic c-type cytochromes, with SoxX as a monoheme and SoxA as a hybrid diheme cytochrome c. SoxYZ is an as-yet-unprecedented soluble protein. SoxY has a putative signal peptide with a twin arginine motif and possibly cotransports SoxZ to the periplasm. SoxYZ neither contains a metal nor a complex redox center, as proposed for proteins likely to be transported via the Tat system.

Periplasmic protein thiol:disulfide oxidoreductases of Escherichia coli

Disulfide bond formation is part of the folding pathway for many periplasmic and outer membrane proteins that contain structural disulfide bonds. In Escherichia coli, a broad variety of periplasmic protein thiol:disulfide oxidoreductases have been identified in recent years, which substantially contribute to this pathway. Like the well-known cytoplasmic thioredoxins and glutaredoxins, these periplasmic protein thiol:disulfide oxidoreductases contain the conserved C-X-X-C motif in their active site. Most of them have a domain that displays the thioredoxin-like fold. In contrast to the cytoplasmic system, which consists exclusively of reducing proteins, the periplasmic oxidoreductases have either an oxidising, a reducing or an isomerisation activity. Apart from understanding their physiological role, it is of interest to learn how these proteins interact with their target molecules and how they are recycled as electron donors or acceptors. This review reflects the recently made efforts to elucidate the sources of oxidising and reducing power in the periplasm as well as the different properties of certain periplasmic protein thiol:disulfide oxidoreductases of E. coli.

Assembly of chloroplast cytochromes b and c

The synthesis of holocytochromes in plastids is a catalyzed process. Several proteins, including plastid CcsA, Ccs1, possibly CcdA and a thioredoxin, plus at least two additional Ccs factors, are required in sub-stoichiometric amounts for the conversion of apocytochromes f and c(6) to their respective holoforms. CcsA, proposed to be a heme delivery factor, and Ccs1, an apoprotein chaperone, are speculated to interact physically in vivo. The formation of holocytochrome b(6) is a multi-step pathway in which at least four, as yet unidentified, Ccb factors are required for association of the b(H) heme. The specific requirement of reduced heme for in vitro synthesis of a cytochrome b(559)-derived holo-beta(2) suggests that cytochrome b synthesis in PSII might also be catalyzed in vivo.

Efficient spore synthesis in Bacillus subtilis depends on the CcdA protein

CcdA is known to be required for the synthesis of c-type cytochromes in Bacillus subtilis, but the exact function of this membrane protein is not known. We show that CcdA also plays a role in spore synthesis. The expression of ccdA and the two downstream genes yneI and yneJ was analyzed. There is a promoter for each gene, but there is only one transcription terminator, located after the yneJ gene. The promoter for ccdA was found to be weak and was active mainly during the transition from exponential growth to stationary phase. The promoters for yneI and yneJ were both active in the exponential growth phase. The levels of the CcdA and YneJ proteins in the membrane were consistent with the observed promoter activities. The ccdA promoter activity was independent of whether the ccdA-yneI-yneJ gene products were absent or overproduced in the cell. It is shown that the four known cytochromes c in B. subtilis and the YneI and YneJ proteins are not required for sporulation. The combined data from analysis of sporulation-specific sigma factor activity, resistance properties of spores, and spore morphology indicate that CcdA deficiency affects stage V in sporulation. We conclude that CcdA, YneI, and YneJ are functionally unrelated proteins and that the role of CcdA in cytochrome c and spore synthesis probably relates to sulfhydryl redox chemistry on the outer surface of the cytoplasmic membrane.

Escherichia coli DipZ: anatomy of a transmembrane protein disulphide reductase in which three pairs of cysteine residues, one in each of three domains, contribute differentially to function

DipZ is a bacterial cytoplasmic membrane protein that transfers reducing power from the cytoplasm to the periplasm so as to facilitate the formation of correct disulphide bonds and c-type cytochromes in the latter compartment. Topological analysis using gene fusions between the Escherichia coli dipZ and either E. coli phoA or lacZ shows that DipZ has a highly hydrophobic central domain comprising eight transmembrane alpha-helices plus periplasmic globular N-terminal and C-terminal domains. The previously assigned translational start codon for the E. coli DipZ was shown to be incorrect and the protein to be larger than previously thought. The experimentally determined translational start position indicates that an additional alpha-helix at the N-terminus acts as a cleavable signal peptide so that the N-terminus of the mature protein is located in the periplasm. The newly assigned 5' end of the dipZ gene was shown to be preceded by a functional ribosome-binding site. The hydrophobic central domain and both of the periplasmic globular domains each have a pair of highly conserved cysteine residues, and it was shown by site directed mutagenesis that all six conserved cysteine residues contribute to DipZ function.

Transfer of electrons across the cytoplasmic membrane by DsbD, a membrane protein involved in thiol-disulphide exchange and protein folding in the bacterial periplasm

Reduction of non-native protein disulphides in the periplasm of Escherichia coli is catalysed by three enzymes, DsbC, DsbG and DsbE, each of which harbours a catalytic Cys-X-X-Cys dithiol motif. This dithiol motif requires continuous reduction for activity. Genetic evidence suggests that the source of periplasmic reducing power resides within the cytoplasm, provided by thioredoxin (trxA) and thioredoxin reductase (trxB). Cytoplasmic electrons donated by thioredoxin are thought to be transferred into the periplasm via the DsbD membrane protein. To understand the molecular nature of electron transfer, we have analysed the membrane topology of DsbD. DsbD is exported by an N-terminal signal peptide. The N- and C-terminal domains are positioned in the periplasmic space, connected by eight transmembrane segments. Electron transfer was shown to require five cysteine sulphydryl of DsbD. Trans complementation of mutant DsbD molecules revealed intermolecular electron transfer. We discuss a model whereby the membrane-embedded disulphides of DsbD accept electrons from cytoplasmic thioredoxin and transfer them to the C-terminal periplasmic dithiol motif of DsbD.

Novel Rhodobacter capsulatus genes required for the biogenesis of various c-type cytochromes

Following chemical mutagenesis and screening for the inability to grow by photosynthesis and the absence of cyt cbb3 oxidase activity, two c-type cytochrome (cyt)-deficient mutants, 771 and K2, of Rhodobacter capsulatus were isolated. Both mutants were completely deficient in all known c-type cyts, and could not be complemented by the previously known cyt c biogenesis genes of R. capsulatus. Complementation of 771 and K2 with a wild-type chromosomal library led to the identification of two novel genes, cycJ and ccdA respectively. The cycJ is highly homologous to ccmE/cycJ, encountered in various Gram-negative species. Unlike in other species, where cycJ is a part of an operon essential for cyt c biogenesis, in R. capsulatus, it is located immediately downstream from argC, involved in arginine biosynthesis. Mutation of its universally conserved histidine residue, which is critical for its proposed haem chaperoning role, to an alanine led to loss of its function. All R. capsulatus cycJ mutants studied so far excrete copious amounts of coproporphyrin and protoporphyrin when grown on enriched media, suggesting that its product is also a component of the haem delivery branch of cyt c biogenesis in this species. In contrast, the R. capsulatus ccdA was homologous to the cyt c biogenesis gene ccdA, found in the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis, and to the central region of dipZ, encoding a protein disulphide reductase required for cyt c biogenesis in Escherichia coli. Membrane topology of CcdA was established in R. capsulatus using ccdA:phoA and ccdA :lacZ gene fusions. The deduced topology revealed that the two conserved cysteine residues of CcdA are, as predicted, membrane embedded. Mutagenesis of these cysteines showed that both are required for the function of CcdA in cyt c biogenesis. This study demonstrated for the first time that CcdA homologues are also required for cyt c biogenesis in some gram-negative bacteria such as R. capsulatus.

Accumulation of pre-apocytochrome f in a Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 mutant impaired in cytochrome c maturation

Cytochrome c maturation involves heme transport and covalent attachment of heme to the apoprotein. The 5' end of the ccsB gene, which is involved in the maturation process and resembles the ccs1 gene from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, was replaced by a chloramphenicol resistance cartridge in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The resulting Delta(M1-A24) mutant lacking the first 24 ccsB codons grew only under anaerobic conditions. The mutant retained about 20% of the wild-type amount of processed cytochrome f with heme attached, apparently assembled in a functional cytochrome b(6)f complex. Moreover, the mutant accumulated unprocessed apocytochrome f in its membrane fraction. A pseudorevertant was isolated that regained the ability to grow under aerobic conditions. The locus of the second-site mutation was mapped to ccsB, and the mutation resulted in the formation of a new potential start codon in the intergenic region, between the chloramphenicol resistance marker and ccsB, in frame with the remaining part of ccsB. In this pseudorevertant the amount of holocyt f increased, whereas that of unprocessed apocytochrome f decreased. We suggest that the original deletion mutant Delta(M1-A24) expresses an N-terminally truncated version of the protein. The stable accumulation of unprocessed apocytochrome f in membranes of the Delta(M1-A24) mutant may be explained by its association with truncated and only partially functional CcsB protein resulting in protection from degradation. Our attempt to delete the first 244 codons of ccsB in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was not successful, suggesting that this would lead to a lack of functional cytochrome b(6)f complex. The results suggest that the CcsB protein is an apocytochrome chaperone, which together with CcsA may constitute part of cytochrome c lyase.

Overexpression, immobilization and biotechnological application of Pseudomonas lipases

Pseudomonas lipases play an important role in biotechnology both as hydrolases for detergent additives and as synthases catalyzing the kinetic resolution of racemic compounds. Large-scale production of Pseudomonas lipases requires correct folding and secretion through the bacterial membranes. Controllable expression of the gene lipH encoding a lipase-specific foldase proves to be important for overexpression in the homologous host Escherichia coli. Construction of appropriate His-tagged fusion proteins permitted overexpression, secretion and one-step purification of lipase from culture supernatants of the homologous host Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The immobilization of lipases in hydrophobic sol-gel materials derived from alkylsilane precursors of the type RSi(OCH3)3 or mixtures of RSi(OCH3)3 and Si(OCH3)4 provides highly active chemically and thermally stable heterogeneous biocatalysts. The entrapped lipases are excellent catalysts in a variety of synthetic organic transformations. Using directed evolution based on error prone PCR, the enantioselectivity of the hydrolysis of a chiral ester, catalyzed by the lipase from P. aeruginosa, can be increased from ee 2 to ee 81% in just four mutagenesis cycles.

Contrasting routes of c-type cytochrome assembly in mitochondria, chloroplasts and bacteria

The biogenesis of bacterial c-type cytochromes generally involves many gene products--some of which may also have roles in other processes--and their interaction with the disulphide-bond-forming system of the bacterial periplasm. However, in some bacteria a simpler process appears to operate that might be related to the formation of c-type cytochromes in thylakoids of photosynthetic cells. The corresponding process in fungal mitochondria is distinct.